Content identification carton



Sept. 14, 1965 F. K. BRUMLEY 3,205,503

CONTENT IDENTIFICATION CARTON Filed Aug. 28, 1964 FIG. I V V //2 V35 SNOINO B39808 INVENTOR FRANK K. B/PUMLEY BY KARL (DjFLoues ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,205,603 CONTENT IDENTIFHIATIUN CARTON Frank K. Brumley, Middletown, Qhio, assignor to Diamond International Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 392,834 7 Claims. (Cl. 40-312) This invention relates to an improved container construction and more particularly to a carton which is used for the purpose of packaging items which generally cannot be distinguished unless wrappings or the like are disturbed.

The invention is disclosed in detail with respect to a container of the character disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent to Ingram, Sr., No. 2,435,355, issued February 3, 1948. In this just mentioned patent, there is disclosed a foldable-flat tubular, paperboard container particularly adaptable for the so-called take-out orders. Although the present invention is particularly adaptable for the packaging of food products, alternate uses of the improved end closure and item-identification means will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the packaging of restaurant-prepared sandwiches for so-called take-out orders, many sandwiches have identical wrappers, however, the contents or fillings are different. Additionally, due to the wide variety of condiments used i.e. pickles, relish, onions, as well as the fact that certain sandwiches may be well done, rare etc., is quite awkward and irritating to the customer to determine the exact nature of the sandwich after it has been wrapped and packaged.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel container and blank for producing the same in which an end closure assembly of the container includes means facilitating the identification of a variety of items that may be packaged in the container without intimately examining the wrapped item.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure assembly for containers of the character involved, in which certain portions of the carton and blank include different indicia provided on a tuck flap, inner closure flaps, etc., and in which portions of the container overlie the different indicia and have corresponding-indicia thereon, and wherein portions of the container comprise manually removable tear-tab means so that the container contents may be readily and expeditiously identified by the container packer and ultimate consumer.

A further object of the present invention in conformance with that set forth above, is to provide a novel container including improved content-identification means in which the utilization thereof requires relatively little or any modification of the original general container construction, is economical to include on the container, and gives rise to more eificient and highly desirable means for identifying the not readily discernible characted of the items packaged in the container.

These together with other objects and nature of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description of an exemplary embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings forming a part thereon, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the novel blank for forming a container according to the invention, an intermediate portion of the walls of the carton having been removed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container assembled and erected from the blank of FIG. 1, showing an intermediate position of the outer closure and tuck flaps of the assembled and erected container;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the closed end of the container of FIG. 2, after the end of the carton 3 ,205,603 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 has been closed, and illustrating the manner in which a tear tab element is removed to expose the indicia thereunder and provided on the tuck flap of the container;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the erected and as sembled container after the tear-tab elements have been removed from the outer closure flap.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and first considering FIG. 1, a planar blank element is indicated generally at 10 and will form a container of the general character disclosed and described in detail in US. Letters Patent No. 2,435,355 and reference may be had to this patent for specific details. The blank element 10 is produced from any suitable paperboard material, and suitable artwork may be provided on the blank. In FIG. 1, the outer surface of the blank is shown.

The blank element 10 comprises a onepiece, diecut, elongated, fiat element, indicated generally at 12 and includes two pairs of alternately disposed walls 14, 16 and 18, 20, respectively. The walls 14, 16 and 18, 20 are connected to each other on mutually parallel score or fold lines 22, 24 and 26. The wall 14 includes a free side margin 28, and the wall 20 includes a side margin formed by a score or fold line to which is foldably connected a glue-flap 32. When assembling the container, other means other than a glue flap may be provided, for example, pressure-sensitive tape, etc., as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

The blank element 12 includes a linear end margin indicated generally at 34 which is normal to the mutually parallel fold lines 22-26 and 30. The linear end margin 34 comprises a fragmentary fold or score line 36 bordering the bottom of wall 14, a free edge margin 38 bordering the lower end of wall 18, a fragmentary fold line 40 bordering the lower end of wall 16, and a fragmentary fold or score line 42 bordering the bottom of wall 20.

Depending from the fragmentary fold lines 36 and 40 are inner closure flaps 44 and 46, respectively, the side margins of which being free-margins and being formed by suitable die cuts. The inner closure flap 44 has provided thereon indicia means indicated generally at 48 and in this exemplary embodiment includes the words no pickle and no relish spaced along and adjacent to the fragmentary fold line 36. The inner closure flap 46 includes indicia means indicated generally at 50 spaced along the fragmentary fold line 40 and adjacent thereto, and comprising the indicia rare and well done. The blank element includes foldably connected to a fragmentary fold line 42 an outer closure flap 52 which includes free side margins 54 and 56 and an end margin 58 formed by a score or fold line parallel to the end margins of the walls 14-20, i.e. parallel to the fold or score line 58. A tuck flap 60 is foldably connected to fold line 58 and has a free side margin 62 and has provided thereon indicia means indicated generally at 64 and comprising the indicia cheeseburger, no onions and deep sea, for example. It will be readily recognized that the indicia means 48, 50 and 64 may take any suitable character depending on the different types of items being packaged in the container.

The wall 18 includes in spaced relationship along the free margin 38 tear-tab means indicated generally at 66 which comprises a plurality of manually-severable teartab elements 68, 70 land 72 respectively formed by means of suitable tear-margins 74, 76 and 78. Included on the tear-tab elements 68-72 is indicia CB, NO and DS corresponding to Cheeseburger, No onions and Deep Sea, respectively, and comprising the indicia means indicated generally at 64. The corresponding indicia means 66 refers to the indicia means 64 and will respectively overlie the same in the assembled and erected container as will subsequently be described in detail.

The outer closure flap 52 has formed thereon adjacent the free margins 54 and 56 respectively, second corresponding indicia means indicated generally at 82 and 84 and respectively comprising individual tear-tab elements 86, 88 and 90, 92. The tear-tab elements 86, 88 are formed by manually-severable margins 94, 96 while the tear-tab elements 90, 92 are respectively formed by manually-severable margins 98 and 100. The margins .94, 96 extend to the free edge 54, and the margins 98 and 100 extend to the free margin 56 of the outer closure flap 52. Likewise, the margins 74, 80 extend into the free margin 38 of the wall 18. The tear-tab elements 86, 88 and 90, 92 respectively include thereon letter indicia R, WD, NR and NP, respectively. The letter indicia will correspond to and overlie the corresponding indicia found on the outer surface of the inner closure flaps 44, 46, it being noted that the indicia 48 and 50 comprises the words completely spelled out to facilitate customer identification of the contents of the container, i.e. the wrapped package which includes different condiments thereon or are cooked difierently from each other, etc.

Assembly and erection of the blank The glue flap or its equivalent is secured to the wall 14 wherein the margins 28 and 30 of the walls 14 and 20, respectively, are in substantial alignment. In this manner, a foldable-fiat, tubular container will be assembled, and the assembled containers may be readily packed in suitable shipping cartons or the like, and will take up a minimum of storage space.

In order to erect the carton, the walls 14, 16 and 18, 20 will be respectively disposed in spaced mutually parallel relationship as seen in FIG. 2 for example, whereafter the inner flaps 44, 46 are folded toward each other on the fragmentary fold lines 36, 40, respectively, as also seen in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the outer closure flap 52 is folded on the fold line 42 into overlying relationship with respect to the inner closure flaps 44, 46 and the tuck flap 60 is folded on fold line 58 substantially at right angles to outer closure flap 52 and is inserted behind the inner surface of wall 18, i.e. behind the free margin 38.

Considering FIG. 2, in the erected container it will be noted that the tuck flap 60 is disposed behind the inner surface of wall 18 at the free margin 38. Indicia 64 thereon will be in alignment with the corresponding indicia 66. Likewise, the indicia 48 and 50 found on the inner closure flaps 44, 46, respectively, will be disposed beneath the indicia 82, 84, respectively.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, and the tear-tab 70 designated NO constituting a sandwich having no onions thereon, the tab 70 is readily grasped in a users fingers F at the free margin 38 and is manually-severed from the wall 18. When this is accomplished, the indicia no onions will be readily exposed to an individual examining the container, and in this manner he can readily discern what condiments etc. are found in the sandwich packaged within the container without disturbing the wrapper, etc.

The remaining tab elements, depending upon the contents of the container, may be readily removed by the individual working in the carry-out shop, and the user of the product will readily identify the nature of the contents of the container.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings, and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a carton for packaging items having a similar external appearance but different contents comprising two pairs of alternately disposed walls connected on mutually parallel fold lines,

one of each of said pair of walls each including a remote margin defining opposite side edges thereof;

means connecting said remote margins and forming a foldable-flat tube;

said walls including an end margin normal to said mutually parallel fold lines; and

an end closure assembly connected to said end margins;

said end closure assembly comprising inner closure flaps foldably connected to one of said pair of walls at said end margin; one of the walls of said other pair of walls including an outer closure flap foldably connected to said end margin,

said outer closure flap including a tuck flap foldably connected to said outer closure flap on a fold line parallel to said end margin, said tuck flap including indicia means thereon adjacent said last-mentioned fold line; the other wall of said other pair of walls including tear-tab means adjacent said end margin and including indicia means thereon and including corresponding indicia means thereon adjacent to and aligned with said first-mentioned indicia means,

said tear-tab means including a severable margin for permitting said tear-tab means to be removed to expose said first-mentioned indicia means.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said severable margin of said tear-tab means extends into said end margin whereby removal of said tear-tab means causes a removal of a portion of said end margin.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which said first-mentioned indicia means on said tuck flap comprises a plurality of dilferent and distinct indicia spaced along and adjacent to said last-mentioned fold line, said tear-tab means comprising a plurality of independent tab elements spaced along said end margin.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which said outer closure flap includes side margins extending from said end margin to said tuck flap, said end closure flap including thereon, adjacent to at least one of said side margins, second tear-tab means, said second teartab means including indicia means thereon, at least one of said inner flaps including second corresponding indicia means thereon disposed adjacent said end margin and corresponding to said second-mentioned corresponding indicia means and underlying. said second tear-tab means on said outer closure flap.

5. In a one-piece blank for producing a container for packaging items having diiferent contents and a similar external appearance and comprising a single flat element including two pairs of alternately disposed wall panels connected on mutually parallel fold lines, said walls including a linear margin at one edge, inner closure flaps foldably connected to said end margin and extending from one of said pair of walls, an outer closure flap foldably connected to said end margin and extending from one of said walls of said other pair of walls, said outer closure flap including a tuck flap foldably connected to a fold line parallel to said end margin, said tuck flap including indicia means spaced along said fold line and adjacent thereto, said other Wall of said other pair of Walls including tear-tab means spaced along and adjacent to said end margin, indicia on said tear-tab means corresponding to said first-mentioned indicia means on said tuck flap.

6. A blank as claimed in claim 4 in which at least one of said inner closure flaps includes second indicia means spaced along and adjacent to said end margin adjacent to said one pair of walls, said outer closure flap including a side margin, said second corresponding indicia means adjacent to said side margin and alignable with said second-mentioned indicia means.

5 6 7. A blank as claimed in claim 4 in which said tear- 2,095,260 10/37 Kraft 93-2 tab means includes a manually-severable margin extend- 2,435,355 2/ 48 Ingram 22923 ing to the end margin of said blank element. 2, 5,860 8/54 'Plakas 116-134 2,860,431 11/58 Barmum 40-61 References Cited by the Examiner 5 2,893,876 7/59 Murphy 99-171 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 2,054,596 9/36 Ford 40.312 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CARTON FOR PACKAGING ITEMS HAVING A SIMILAR EXTERNAL APPEARANCE BUT DIFFERENT CONTENTS COMPRISING TWO PAIRS OF ALTERNATELY DISPOSED WALLS CONNECTED ON MUTUALLY PARALLEL FOLD LINES, ONE OF EACH OF SAID PAIR OF WALLS EACH INCLUDING A REMOTE MARGIN DEFINING OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES THEREOF; MEANS CONNECTING SAID REMOTE MARGINS AND FORMING A FOLDABLE-FLAT TUBE; SAID WALLS INCLUDING AN END MARGIN NORMAL TO SAID MUTUALLY PARALLEL FOLD LINES; AND AN END CLOSURE ASSEMBLY CONNECTED TO SAID END MARGINS; SAID END CLOSURE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING INNER CLOSURE FLAPS FOLDABLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID PAIR OF WALLS AT SAID END MARGIN; ONE OF THE WALLS OF SAID OTHER PAIR OF WALLS INCLUDING AN OUTER CLOSURE FLAP FOLDABLY CONNECTED TO SAID END MARGIN, SAID OUTER CLOSURE FLAP INCLUDING A TUCK FLAP FOLDABLY CONNECTED TO SAID OUTER CLOSURE FLAP ON A FOLD LINE PARALLEL TO SAID END MARGIN, SAID TUCK FLAP INCLUDING INDICIA MENS THEREOF ADJACENT SAID LAST-MENTIONED FOLD LINE; THE OTHER WALL OF SAID OTHER PAIR OF WALLS INCLUDING TEAR-TAB MEANS ADJACENT SAID END MARGIN AND INCLUDING INDICIA MEANS THEREON AND INCLUDING CORRESPONDING INDICIA MEANS THEREON ADJACENT TO AND ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST-MENTIONED INDICIA MEANS, SAID TEAR-TAB MEANS INCLUDING A SEVERABLE MARGIN FOR PERMITTING SAID TEAR-TAB MEANS TO BE REMOVED TO EXPOSE SAID FIRST-MENTIONED INDICIA MEANS. 